Chapter 94: Dean Maxwell thougths

Golden Radiance Academy.

Inside a spacious observation room located in one of the academy’s main buildings, several of its most influential figures had gathered.

The room was brightly illuminated by dozens of floating screens, each displaying live footage from different locations within the other-dimensional portal. Images of dense forests, wandering monsters, and young Awakened engaged in combat flashed across the displays, accompanied by constantly updating information about their performances.

The atmosphere was relatively relaxed.

Some professors sat comfortably in their chairs, occasionally exchanging remarks about the students they were observing. Others stood near the screens with their arms crossed, carefully evaluating the combat techniques and decision-making abilities of the first-year Awakened.

Seated at the center of the gathering was Dean Maxwell.

His gaze moved between the numerous displays, his expression calm and thoughtful as he watched the students navigate the unfamiliar environment.

That’s right. Just as Jackson had suspected, the academy was monitoring the assessment in real time.

Although Dean Maxwell had publicly warned the students that their lives would be in danger once they entered the portal, the academy had no intention of allowing its promising talents to perish unnecessarily.

The moment a student encountered a genuinely life-threatening situation, the monitoring personnel would immediately initiate the appropriate rescue measures. Powerful Awakened had already been stationed at strategic locations, prepared to intervene whenever necessary.

Of course, such arrangements did not mean the students were completely safe. Accidents could still happen, especially inside an other-dimensional portal where the environment and monsters were not entirely predictable.

Nevertheless, the academy had taken extensive precautions to minimize the possibility of casualties.

The purpose of this assessment was not to sacrifice talented students.

It was to expose them to genuine danger, allowing them to experience the pressure of life-and-death combat without immediately throwing them into situations beyond their capabilities.

Humanity needed stronger Awakened, but cultivating such individuals required patience and careful planning. Even the most gifted students could not be expected to develop the mentality of experienced hunters overnight.

The academy intended to instill that awareness gradually.

After all, no sensible organization would spend enormous resources nurturing young talents only to send them to their deaths before they had a chance to mature.

On the surrounding screens, the scenes continued changing.

Some students had already encountered groups of goblins and were fighting fiercely, while others moved cautiously through the forest, searching for suitable targets. A few had formed temporary teams, relying on cooperation to eliminate monsters more efficiently.

There were also students who had become so nervous after entering the portal that they barely dared to venture beyond their starting locations.

The professors observed these performances with varying degrees of interest.

With so many outstanding students participating, it was impossible for every teacher to pay equal attention to everyone. Naturally, most of their attention gravitated toward the individuals who had already demonstrated exceptional talent or possessed impressive backgrounds.

As a result, Jackson’s figure attracted little notice.

His performance had been relatively unremarkable so far. He had entered the portal without drawing attention to himself, and his movements through the forest were cautious rather than flashy.

Compared with the students who were already displaying powerful skills and overwhelming groups of monsters, there was little about his current behavior that demanded attention.

However, one person was watching him closely.

Professor Niom.

He was the same professor who had conducted the physical fitness test during the academy’s entrance examination. Unlike his colleagues, who were frequently switching between different screens, Niom had remained focused on a relatively small display showing Jackson’s movements.

His expression was difficult to read.

Occasionally, he would narrow his eyes or lean forward slightly, as though trying to confirm something about the young man’s behavior.

This unusual interest did not go unnoticed.

Among the professors present was a young female teacher with a petite build and a youthful appearance. Despite being only nineteen years old, she had already earned a teaching position at Golden Radiance Academy, an achievement that spoke volumes about her own abilities.

She was dressed in the same white battle armor she had worn during the entrance examination.

Her name was Alice.

Like Professor Niom, she had been responsible for evaluating the newly admitted students during the entrance tests.

Having worked alongside him for some time, Alice was quite familiar with his personality. Niom was not someone who wasted his attention on ordinary students. He had always been selective about the individuals he considered worthy of interest, and his judgment was rarely influenced by appearances or family backgrounds.

For him to spend so much time observing a single first-year student was unusual.

What’s so special about this boy?

Curiosity stirred in Alice’s heart.

She followed Niom’s gaze and began examining Jackson’s screen.

The young man was moving through the forest at a steady pace, occasionally pausing to inspect his surroundings before continuing forward. His movements were cautious, and he showed no particular urgency to hunt monsters or increase his kill count.

Alice watched him for several minutes.

Yet, no matter how carefully she observed, she could not find anything extraordinary.

Jackson’s behavior was perfectly reasonable for a student participating in his first portal assessment, but it was hardly impressive enough to justify Niom’s unusual attention.

There were plenty of other students demonstrating far more remarkable abilities.

After a while, Alice could only shake her head.

Perhaps Niom had noticed something during the entrance examination that she had overlooked.

Whatever it was, she could not see it now.

Losing interest, Alice turned her attention toward another screen.

This display showed a young woman moving through the forest with remarkable composure.

She possessed a beautiful appearance and an elegant bearing, and even while surrounded by the unfamiliar environment of the portal, her expression remained calm and indifferent.

The young woman was none other than Grace.

Jackson’s former girlfriend.

Unlike many of the other students, Grace did not appear particularly nervous. She moved between the trees with measured steps, occasionally scanning her surroundings before continuing deeper into the forest.

Alice watched her with considerably more interest.

At least this student appeared to possess the confidence and composure expected of someone with genuine potential.

Just then, a booming voice echoed through the observation room.

"Although this year’s batch of students is rather disappointing overall, there are still a few promising talents among them."

The remark drew several approving nods.

Most of the professors had reached similar conclusions. While the overall quality of the new students might not have met their expectations, a handful of individuals still possessed enough potential to become exceptional Awakened.

However, before the discussion could continue, another voice interrupted.

"Hmm, sitting here watching these children fight goblins is getting rather boring. Why don’t we spice things up a little?"

The speaker was a slim-built teacher whose lean frame concealed clearly defined muscles. Despite his relatively slender appearance, the faint fluctuations of spiritual energy surrounding him revealed that he was no ordinary Awakened.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face as he glanced toward Dean Maxwell.

"How about a wager?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere inside the observation room changed.

Several Gold-Rank professors turned toward him with strange expressions.

Some looked amused, while others shook their heads as though they had already anticipated what would happen next.

Everyone present was familiar with Dean Maxwell’s peculiar hobby.

The man was an exceptionally capable administrator and a powerful Awakened, but he also possessed one rather troublesome weakness.

He loved gambling.

Whether the wager involved rare cultivation resources, valuable equipment, or something as insignificant as a meal, Dean Maxwell rarely passed up an opportunity to test his luck.

Naturally, the professors knew exactly what would happen once someone mentioned placing bets in his presence.

Sure enough, Dean Maxwell’s eyes brightened.

"A wager, you say?"

He leaned back slightly in his chair, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"That doesn’t sound like a bad idea."

The professors exchanged knowing glances.

As expected.

With Dean Maxwell’s approval, the previously subdued observation room immediately became livelier.

The professors began discussing the students they believed would achieve the highest rankings, and before long, valuable cultivation resources were being offered as stakes.

"I’m quite optimistic about Alexander Drag," one professor declared confidently. "Although his confidence suffered after being defeated by that mysterious figure, he seems to have recovered considerably over the past few days. His previous sharpness has started returning."

Another professor immediately shook his head.

"Alexander Drag? You’re underestimating the others."

He pointed toward a screen displaying another student.

"The real super genius is Veronica, the heiress of Green Soul Corporation. According to the reports published by the Hunter Association, her talent is ranked extraordinarily high. With her abilities, I wouldn’t be surprised if she dominated the entire assessment."

The professor paused before adding confidently, "I’m willing to wager four Peak Rank Four healing pills on her."

His declaration immediately attracted attention.

Peak Rank Four healing pills were extremely valuable, even to Gold-Rank Awakened. Their medicinal properties could prove invaluable during dangerous battles, and obtaining them was not particularly easy.

Yet the professor had offered four without hesitation.

Clearly, he had considerable confidence in Veronica’s abilities.

Others soon began placing their own wagers.

Some supported Alexander Drag, believing that his strength and combat experience would allow him to outperform most of the first-year students. Others favored Grace, whose talent and composed demeanor had already attracted considerable attention.

Angela Northwind also received several votes, although fewer professors seemed willing to place her above the other leading candidates.

As the discussion continued, a general consensus gradually emerged.

Veronica was considered the most likely candidate to claim first place.

Alexander Drag followed closely behind, with Grace occupying the third position and Angela ranking fourth among the professors’ favored students.

Of course, these were merely predictions.